Need A LOT of help for Step 1

[step 1 2017]

Hello. I am in dire need for help in passing step 1. I have studied for months to no avail. I cant even pass an NBME and I am getting terrible scores. I am at a point where I dont know what to do. This is getting very stressful and demoralizing. If there is anybody willing to tutor or help me out then that would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[AcademicNeurosurgery]

Hello. I am in dire need for help in passing step 1. I have studied for months to no avail. I cant even pass an NBME and I am getting terrible scores. I am at a point where I dont know what to do. This is getting very stressful and demoralizing. If there is anybody willing to tutor or help me out then that would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

Sorry to hear about this. I know it's hard but try not to get yourself down. Truthfully, the content for boards is challenging due to the volume of material rather than its complexity. Thus, it is more likely to be an issue with your approach to the material rather than your intrinsic abilities.

First, this probably belongs in the designated Step 1 section. Check that out for a wealth of board-relevant information.

Second, you'll need to give us more information. What has your strategy been so far, what are your scores like, how much time do you have, etc.

 

[Mad Jack]

What year are you? What type of school do you go to? What areas are hitting you the hardest? What have you used to prepare so far? How long do you have until you need to take the exam?

 

[step 1 2017]

Sorry to hear about this. I know it's hard but try not to get yourself down. Truthfully, the content for boards is challenging due to the volume of material rather than its complexity. Thus, it is more likely to be an issue with your approach to the material rather than your intrinsic abilities.

First, this probably belongs in the designated Step 1 section. Check that out for a wealth of board-relevant information.

Second, you'll need to give us more information. What has your strategy been so far, what are your scores like, how much time do you have, etc.

Sorry. I just realized I put this in the wrong section. Ive done everything from Kaplan to DIT to uworld to FA. I also did another review course as well in Chicago. As far as time goes, this is pretty much my job from when I wake up to go to when I go to sleep.

 

[step 1 2017]

What year are you? What type of school do you go to? What areas are hitting you the hardest? What have you used to prepare so far? How long do you have until you need to take the exam?

I finished second year. I went to a school in the caribbean. Probably the worst idea in the world but it's already been done. For the areas that are hitting mehardest, I'm not sure. I think I know what I need to know and then I take an NBME and its just completely terrible. Ive done Kaplan, used FA, did a review course in Chicago, and done uworld. I have as much time as needed as I have to pass an NBME, then take Step 1, and then clinicals. So pretty much my school requires me to pass an NBME before I am even allowed to sit for Step.

 

[Azete]

Sorry. I just realized I put this in the wrong section. Ive done everything from Kaplan to DIT to uworld to FA. I also did another review course as well in Chicago. As far as time goes, this is pretty much my job from when I wake up to go to when I go to sleep.

What is it that's not clicking? Are you totally lost when you look at questions, or do you tend to go for the "second best" answer?

Probably basic stuff, but make sure that when you look at material, you're reviewing that same material again within the next couple days. If you only see something once and then try to answer a question about it a week later, you'll never remember what you learned.

My guess is this is an issue of study efficiency, and not anything to do with your competency or work ethic.

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

First of all, you are using too many resources. Do you have the Kaplan lecture books from your course? Have you read them and made annotations in First Aid?
Are you havaing problems with pathology? pharm? anatomy? Kindof hard to give directed adivice if you don't even know your weakest areas

 

[AcademicNeurosurgery]

Sorry. I just realized I put this in the wrong section. Ive done everything from Kaplan to DIT to uworld to FA. I also did another review course as well in Chicago. As far as time goes, this is pretty much my job from when I wake up to go to when I go to sleep.

How did you use these resources? Did you watch Kaplan/DIT passively? Annotate in FA? How are you using UWorld?

If your scores are low across the board, I would assume your foundation is weak. My personal suggestion is for you to read a section of First Aid ACTIVELY. This means talking things out, looking up mechanisms if you don't understand why x causes y, and memorizing details (use a notecard to cover something up and then recite it). Once you finish this, watch the relevant Pathoma chapter if you want. Then do some questions, say 40 UWorld questions, on the subject you just finished. As always, read the explanations thoroughly and then go back and find the information in FA to see why you missed a question. Doing this thoroughly will take ~3 weeks.

For pharm and micro, I suggest you use SketchyMedical. Sprinkle it in with each FA section or watch a little every night before bed.

Once you finish one pass this way, start doing random 40-question blocks until you finish UWorld. By this point, you've at least seen all the material at least once so random questions will refresh your memory. Maybe re-watch a little Sketchy every night to keep the pharm and micro fresh.

I think this would put you in passing range in 6 weeks or less.

Edit: Ditch Kaplan/DIT. Use FA, UWorld, Sketchy, and Google. Pathoma once while reading FA.

 

[step 1 2017]

What is it that's not clicking? Are you totally lost when you look at questions, or do you tend to go for the "second best" answer?

Probably basic stuff, but make sure that when you look at material, you're reviewing that same material again within the next couple days. If you only see something once and then try to answer a question about it a week later, you'll never remember what you learned.

My guess is this is an issue of study efficiency, and not anything to do with your competency or work ethic.

I do usually pick the "second best" answer in uworld but sometimes I just have no idea and then i get flustered. Thank you for the good advice about reviewing the same material every couple days.

 

[step 1 2017]

First of all, you are using too many resources. Do you have the Kaplan lecture books from your course? Have you read them and made annotations in First Aid?
Are you havaing problems with pathology? pharm? anatomy? Kindof hard to give directed adivice if you don't even know your weakest areas

I do have the Kaplan books and I do make a lot of annotations in FA. My first aid is full of extra notes. I think my areas of most concern are path, pharm and micro.

 

[step 1 2017]

How did you use these resources? Did you watch Kaplan/DIT passively? Annotate in FA? How are you using UWorld?

If your scores are low across the board, I would assume your foundation is weak. My personal suggestion is for you to read a section of First Aid ACTIVELY. This means talking things out, looking up mechanisms if you don't understand why x causes y, and memorizing details (use a notecard to cover something up and then recite it). Once you finish this, watch the relevant Pathoma chapter if you want. Then do some questions, say 40 UWorld questions, on the subject you just finished. As always, read the explanations thoroughly and then go back and find the information in FA to see why you missed a question. Doing this thoroughly will take ~3 weeks.

For pharm and micro, I suggest you use SketchyMedical. Sprinkle it in with each FA section or watch a little every night before bed.

Once you finish one pass this way, start doing random 40-question blocks until you finish UWorld. By this point, you've at least seen all the material at least once so random questions will refresh your memory. Maybe re-watch a little Sketchy every night to keep the pharm and micro fresh.

I think this would put you in passing range in 6 weeks or less.

Edit: Ditch Kaplan/DIT. Use FA, UWorld, Sketchy, and Google. Pathoma once while reading FA.

I watch Kaplan/DIT and make annotations in FA. I usually do a mixed timed block(40 q.) of uworld when I'm done watching videos/reading FA.

Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it! Definitely something that I will try to do as I need to pass as least the NBME(taking another one mid/late May) asap because i've wasted too much time.

 

[Anicetus]

I finished second year. I went to a school in the caribbean. Probably the worst idea in the world but it's already been done. For the areas that are hitting mehardest, I'm not sure. I think I know what I need to know and then I take an NBME and its just completely terrible. Ive done Kaplan, used FA, did a review course in Chicago, and done uworld. I have as much time as needed as I have to pass an NBME, then take Step 1, and then clinicals. So pretty much my school requires me to pass an NBME before I am even allowed to sit for Step.

Avoid the bolded italic Underlined mindset like the plague. When Doing uworld and first aid convince yourself that you need to know all of it to pass.

 

[673441]

This is all good advice. Also, don't blame the school you came from! The lion share of what you need to know for boards is in UFAP and the minutiae can be picked up from Goljian/Physeo/Other QBanks


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[AcademicNeurosurgery]

I watch Kaplan/DIT and make annotations in FA. I usually do a mixed timed block(40 q.) of uworld when I'm done watching videos/reading FA.

Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it! Definitely something that I will try to do as I need to pass as least the NBME(taking another one mid/late May) asap because i've wasted too much time.

This is a problem I faced so I'll go ahead and mention it - you should be judicious in what you annotate. I only annotated in two situations:

1) I saw an explanation that helped me understand a bullet point in FA better (I'm a conceptual learner so I won't remember something unless I understand, which sucks for Step 1 studying).

2) I read a piece of information that I felt was clinically relevant and could easily be turned into a board question. Doing this effectively will come as you do more questions.

Any extra info that doesn't fall into these categories, don't bother for now. Worry about those details when you are hitting 250-260 consistently.

 

[vitamin H]

When I took Step 1 I used DIT and did not like it, I didn't do well on the exam. For Step 2 ck I used Med School Tutors | 1:1 USMLE, COMLEX & Medical Test Prep and they got me through Step 2 ck. It was expensive but it was worth it for me.

 

[Ismet]

Moving to Step 1 forum. Please do not cross-post.

 

[TheOther]

The main thing it sounds like you're lacking is foundation which only comes through learning via active repetition. Even high-yield resources like UFAP will be of no help to you if you haven't laid a solid foundation. I haven't sat for my exam yet (in 4 weeks) so take what I say with a grain of salt, but this is what I would do if I were you.

Resources:
1. Bro's deck (Anki) + First Aid (I would actually get a fresh copy of 2017...you don't want this cluttered with random info that's not HY)
2. Boards and Beyond
3. Pathoma
4. Sketchy Micro + Pharm
5. USMLERx or Kaplan
6. UWorld

Since you have no real deadline, I'll make a rough sample schedule over a 6 month period. If you need further help with an actual timeline in mind, let me know.

There are 10 organ systems. Let's say you spend one week on each, that's 2.5 months. Studying 6 days a week, one day off. Two more weeks for the general stuff (biochem, basic pharm, biostats, immuno, behavioral).

1st stage: Divide the total number of Bro's cards for a system up by 6 (First Aid + Pathoma decks). Make it your goal to get through all of your cards for the day and use your "day off" to catch up if you need. As you do the Bro's cards, have First Aid open and read the relative "chunk" of info. If there's something you don't understand, look it up with Boards & Beyond, Google/Wiki or Youtube. Add info to Bro's cards to help you remember/understand. Also watch the relevant Pathoma chapter before starting the Path deck.

After 3 months of grueling Bro's cards + reviews, you've finished your first pass of FA + Pathoma. This may take shorter or longer depending on your knowledge base and stamina.

2nd stage: Keep up with your Bro's reviews and start a qbank -- either Rx or Kaplan. Aim to finish the bank in a month. While you're working through this, continue referencing First Aid and Pathoma. During this month, also get through all of Sketchy Micro + Pharm.

Once you've finished the bank, that's your second pass of FA + Pathoma. Take an NBME to see where you're at.

3rd stage: Again, keep up with Bro's cards. Do all of UW in a month. While you're doing this, annotate from UW into FA and make Anki cards of your weak areas. Watch Pathoma + Sketchy again.

4th stage: Keep up with Bro's reviews, work on your UW Anki deck, do a second pass of UW, do NBMEs/UWSAs and focus on your weak areas.

This is really just UFAPS but using Boards & Beyond for concepts in First Aid and Bro's for actively hammering in the info. I would equate the 1st/2nd stages to laying the foundation and 3rd/4th stages to a 6-8 week dedicated study period of tying it all together. Again, it's just a rough plan and a n=1. Best to you.